1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wire holders and, more particularly, to a wire holder that holds numerous cross-connect cables in a neat and orderly manner to minimize cable entanglement.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In a network system, communication pathways are established between computers and other system devices by connecting cross-connect cables between concentrators and patch panels (also known as cross-connect panels). The concentrators allow local area connections onto the network, via an ethernet, token lan and so forth; and the patch panels are coupled to the computers. As more cross-connections are established, the number of cross-connect cables, coupled between the concentrators and the patch panels, increases and the area at and around the concentrators and the patch panels becomes cluttered with numerous, entangled cross-connect cables. This results in what has been termed the spaghetti factor, i.e., a mass entanglement of dangling cross-connect cables, as shown in FIG. 1. The spaghetti factor becomes even more prevalent as different lengths of cross-connect cables are utilized.
One problem with numerous entangled cross-connect cables is that they pose physical hazards to people working at or around the entangled cables. For instance, a person walking through the area may trip over the cables and be injured.
Another problem is that entangled cross-connect cables also hinder cross-connect operations by making it difficult to identify particular cross-connect cables and their associated cross-connections. In order to locate a particular cross-connect cable, the entangled cables must be sorted and unraveled which require additional time that is better spent performing the actual connection. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the entangled cables also hinder access to the concentrators and the patch panels.
The mass entanglement of the cross-connect cables may also lead to electrical and mechanical connection problems. In a typical scenario, cross-connect cables connected between the concentrator and the patch panel hang freely or dangle therebetween. As the cables become cluttered or entangled, more weight is placed on the cables and tension on the entangled cables is increased. The increased cable tension and weight may cause the cross-connect cables to be damaged (i.e., to break) or become dislodged from either the concentrator or the patch panel.
There is a desire to eliminate the danger posed by entangled cross-connect cables, to make it easier to identify a particular cross-connect cable and its associated cross-connections and to increase electrical and mechanical reliability of the cross-connections. There is also a desire to improve accessibility to the area at and around the concentrators and the patch panels.